Senate bill 9 was pre-filed by David Haley (D) on January 10, 2013. This cannabis compassion and care act will allow the use of medical marijuana for certain debilitating conditions. Patients would be allowed to own 12 plants or 6 ounces of marijuana for therapeutic purposes. [2] During the 2015 legislative session, the equivalent bill was passed in the House in mid-2015, but stalled in the Senate, who intend to reopen discussion of the bill in 2016.[3] The bill would also decrease penalties for cannabis possession, and order a state study of industrial hemp.[4]

In April 2015, the city of Wichita voted to decriminalize cannabis municipally, with a vote of 54-45, reducing first time possession to a criminal infraction with a $50 fine, rather than a misdemeanor with fines up to $2500 and a year of jail time, as under state law. The Kansas Attorney General stated that he would sue the city if the measure passed, arguing the city does not have legal authority to reduce cannabis penalties.[5] The Kansas Attorney General subsequently sued the city to hold the initiative. The Wichita City Council later unanimously voted to approve a similar ordinance in 2017.[6]

In March 2015, Garden City resident Shona Banda, who uses medical cannabis to treat her debilitating Crohn’s disease, was arrested and charged with five felony counts in relation to cannabis. Banda’s usage of medical cannabis had been discovered after her 11-year-old child spoke publicly of his mother’s usage at school; the boy was removed from her home by Child Protective Services and later placed with Banda’s ex-husband. Banda faces up to 30 years for her use and possession of cannabis.[7]

In 2015, 10 sheriffs from Kansas and two other states sued the state of Colorado, alleging that the state’s legalization of cannabis was placing an undue burden on law enforcement in neighboring states.[8][9] The lawsuit was unsuccessful.

On May 14, 2018, Governor Jeff Colyer signed SB 282 which exempted CBD oil from the definition of marijuana. This essentially legalized CBD oil in general, but since THC is still banned, CBD oil is not expected to be readily available as it can contain traces of THC and does not establish a mechanism for obtaining CBD oil.[10][11][12]

The first possession charge of less than 450 grams will result in a misdemeanor with a 1-year incarceration sentence and a $2,500 fine maximum. A subsequent offense for possessing any amount can result in a fine of $100,000 and a sentence of up to 3½ years. Sale or distribution of any amount can result in a $300,000 to $500,000 fine and an incarceration sentence depending on the quantity and severity of the offense.[13]